Hard Eight (1996)
Philip Baker Hall: Sydney
Photos
Quotes
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Sydney : You know the first thing they should've taught you at hooker school? You get the money up front!
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Sydney : Never ignore a man's courtesy.
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Jimmy : What I mean - what I believe... is that you killed his father... like the stories I heard go. Now, if somebody killed my father... I would feel the need to do something. The stories I heard - you know, stories get around - is that you used to be a hard-ass. You were a hard-ass and you took his dad out, Sydney. So you think - what? You can just walk through this life... without being punished for it? Shit, man. I know all those guys you know. Floyd Gondolli, Jimmy Gator, Mumbles O'Malley. They like to sit around in Clifton's and talk, talk, talk. They love to tell stories. You can sit there and look at me sideways all you want. You probably think I'm some kind of asshole or something... but I'm not a killer... like you. You walk around like you're Mr. Cool, Mr. Wisdom... but you're not. You're just some old hood. The other night in the bar, you asking me a question... like do I do parking lot security? Well, the answer is no! I'm trusted security inside the casino. I'm trusted with security, and I don't fuck it up.
Sydney : Good that you have such a sturdy sense of responsibility.
Jimmy : Don't! Don't! Don't fuckin' do that! You understand? I can see right through that shit! You look at me as some idiot, huh? I know you do. I know you. You old guys, you old hoods... you think you're so fuckin' above it... so high and mighty. What am I to you? Some loser? No. No! Not with a gun in my hand. Not with the facts I know. Bottom line, Sydney. No matter how hard you try - you're not his father.
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Sydney : [John has called Sydney to his hotel room asking for help. Sydney knocks, John answers from behind the closed door] John?
Sydney : ...Sid?
Sydney : Yeah. Open up.
John Finnegan : ...everything cool?
Sydney : What? Yeah, everything's cool. Are you alright?
John Finnegan : I'm fine.
Sydney : You gonna open the door?
John Finnegan : I said on the phone, you know... it's kinda screwed up.
Sydney : Yeah, so? Open the door, let's see what's going on.
John Finnegan : ...you promise you'll help me?
Sydney : [growing exasperated] John, it's cold out here, open the door.
John Finnegan : ...is everything cool?
Sydney : John, open the goddamn door, will ya?
Sydney : [John finally unlocks and opens the door; Sydney enters] Now what's going on, John?
John Finnegan : Just - shut the door.
[the door is closed]
Sydney : Why are the lights out?
John Finnegan : Okay, Sid?
Sydney : Okay I'm not gonna...
John Finnegan : -let's just leave them off for a second...
Sydney : -I'm not gonna stand here with the lights out.
[Sydney flips the light on]
John Finnegan : Okay now, you promised you'd help me.
Sydney : ...what is this, John?
John Finnegan : I'm sorry, Sid.
Sydney : John, what is this? Who is this man?
John Finnegan : He's uh... he's a hostage.
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Sydney : [to Jimmy] I have the money to give you right now, in this moment. I will give you all that I have. Maybe before you were gonna kill me. Maybe. I don't know. I know John, and I love him like he was my own child. But I can tell you this: I don't want to die. I killed his father. I can tell you what it was. This is not an excuse. I'm not begging for clemency. All that matters, I do not wish to sacrifice my life for John's well-being. But I will sacrifice this money for mine because you have asked me. Because after this, I will have done all I can for John and for myself. I'm going to ask you with all the heart and sincerety that I have, please do not put a bullet in me. And, please, don't tell John what I've done. I trust that once I gave you this money, you and I will take separate paths and that this negotiation will settle everything. That is my hope. I don't wanna die.
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Sydney : [at the cocktail lounge] Tell me something, are you required to flirt, to behave as you do toward that table of men over there, maybe as some part of your job?
Clementine : Uh, they don't say to do it.
Sydney : But if you don't?
Clementine : Well, then I get questioned, like, "Why were you so rude to them?" and I mean, I can't talk back. I can't tell them to fuck off and leave me alone.
Sydney : As a rule.
Clementine : I'd also lose the tip.
Sydney : Sounds like an occupational hazard. You don't have to do that with me.
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Sydney : I have a friend in Los Angeles. Someone... maybe someone who can help. I can make a call for you, tell him you're a friend, so on and so forth, and we can work this thing out here. I think if you need help paying for your mother's funeral, we can work it out. I want you to see that my reasons for doing this are not selfish, only this: I'd hope that you would do the same for me.
John Finnegan : I would. Thank you.
Sydney : [shakes John's hand] It's always good to meet a new friend. I'll see you later.
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Sydney : This is a very fucked-up situation.
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Sydney : If I were to give you $50, what would you do with it?
John Finnegan : I'd eat.
Sydney : How long can you eat, how long can you live on $50?
John Finnegan : I don't know.
Sydney : I would bet - not very long.
John Finnegan : You would bet?
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Sydney : I tell you what, you come with me back to Vegas, I'll loan you $50, I'll show you what you did wrong.
John Finnegan : Why? What? Wh-what are you, man? You think - you think you're St. Francis or something?
Sydney : No, I don't think I'm St. Francis.
John Finnegan : Are - look - are you looking for a fag? Because I'm not some boy hooker if that's what you're after.
Sydney : I'm not looking for a hooker, John. I'm offering you a ride. I'm offering to teach you something.
John Finnegan : Yeah, well, I'll telling you something right now. I don't suck dick, okay?
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Jimmy : Jesus! We are fuckin' *surrounded* by pussy here.
Sydney : Hey, hey, hey, hey, Jimmy.
Jimmy : What?
Sydney : Not for my ears, but hers. She can hear that sort of thing across the lounge. It puts her in a very uncomfortable position.
Jimmy : Hey, hey, I doubt if hearin' she's got a great pussy puts her into an uncomfortable position.
Sydney : I just don't want it coming from my table.
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Sydney : $2,000 hard eight.
Pit Boss : $2,000 hard eight's the bet.
Young Craps Player : What the fuck! Haha! Oh, man, you play that game, don't you? Oh, shit! Haha. You're big time. You are big time! Haha. Oh! Hard eight. Oh, okay, here we go. Alright, here we go. Alright, this is for you, Big Time. Alright, I'm not even looking. Here we go!
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Sydney : Clementine. My darling, Clementine. Listen to me, will you? Are you listening?
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Sydney : Where did this thing go wrong?
Clementine : Because he thought he was smart and I was stupid and I'm not stupid.
Sydney : Well, this is a pretty *stupid* situation, isn't it?
Clementine : Well, we'll see how *fucking* stupid I am when we get my money, won't we?
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Sydney : You got yourself in this situation. I did not get you here. So, you humble yourself, do you understand? You humble yourself!
